Sounds like deflated lifters since everything has been sitting for so long. An hydraulic tensioner could make that noise too and if all that checks out something is contacting in the cylinders (we all hope that's not the case ).

After pulling the head last week I decided to hunt down my electrical problems. I replaced a coil pack harness on this harness during my motor install and it seems that the ground for the oil level sensor runs to the main harness then back up to the coil pack harness.

I'd also suspect the Tach pulls signal from some line on this harness too. I've found the oil level sensor one. Next up is the tach and head/turbo re-install.

Nice to know three out of the four issues are on their way to being solved. Now I just need to find a WG center-ring I dropped on the subframe and the head gets reinstalled.

Did I mention it's 25 degrees out and I ran out of (double )

Also all of the silicone hoses I ordered came in. Might be able to install everything correctly this time.

Something is funky with my head. There are inserts that the head bolts sit on that are a different size than other 1.8T heads. When trying to use stock bolts my head decided it would shave down the threads on the top of the bolt. I just got my digital caliper back and plan on taking measurements & photos later.

Before figuring this out we went through a bunch of headaches: Swapping in three new headgaskets and two sets of OEM bolts (spending a couple hundred bucks)- I finally ordered new ARP studs.

Sidenote: ARP won't warranty their products unless you have the build number off the side of the box.

Entire car is back together as of last night (minus the battery). Tonight we should be firing it up for the second time. I have hopes that I have fixed the oil light issue and a couple of ideas on how to diagnose & fix the tach. - Bad cluster connection, missing ground loop like the oil light or bad cluster.

I oil'd the AC compressor on Big Phil's recommendation to fix the squealing and Ed fixed my intercooler pipe after I mangled it because I wasn't thinking. If all issues are fixed I just need to fix my ProSport Wideband gauge and that's it.

Something is funky with my head. There are inserts that the head bolts sit on that are a different size than other 1.8T heads. When trying to use stock bolts my head decided it would shave down the threads on the top of the bolt. I just got my digital caliper back and plan on taking measurements & photos later.

Before figuring this out we went through a bunch of headaches: Swapping in three new headgaskets and two sets of OEM bolts (spending a couple hundred bucks)- I finally ordered new ARP studs.

Sidenote: ARP won't warranty their products unless you have the build number off the side of the box.

Entire car is back together as of last night (minus the battery). Tonight we should be firing it up for the second time. I have hopes that I have fixed the oil light issue and a couple of ideas on how to diagnose & fix the tach. - Bad cluster connection, missing ground loop like the oil light or bad cluster.

I oil'd the AC compressor on Big Phil's recommendation to fix the squealing and Ed fixed my intercooler pipe after I mangled it because I wasn't thinking. If all issues are fixed I just need to fix my ProSport Wideband gauge and that's it.

I'll update later.

Doug, your running an AEB head no? Some where in my brain it comes up that there is a difference in studs between AEB's and AMU's/BEA's. AMU bolts being larger

But good to hear you got it sorted. Only like four months or so till Lime Rock

Doug, your running an AEB head no? Some where in my brain it comes up that there is a difference in studs between AEB's and AMU's/BEA's. AMU bolts being larger

You got that right. AEB head on my car. AEB was 11mm x 96mm & Small port is 10mm x 115mm IIRC.

So I assume the block can take the longer bolt but the issue with my head appeared to be with the fitting in the head inserts. Tony at FFE stuck my bolts through a bare AEB head and the worked fine- so that's why I think my head is weird, I have zero luck or I'm retarded. No comments Noah

Originally Posted by DeckManDubs

Only like four months or so till Lime Rock

Phil was telling me about the Lime Rock track day and I'm all in. Going to have to get a monster tune by then and some track skills.

All blocks besides AEB accept 10mm bolts. AEB's take 11mm's. The head doesn't care which you use, only the block, aka I run an AEB on my AWP block with standard OEM 10mm bolts.

This isn't a great picture but this is what was happening. The bolt threads into the block just fine only after the head sheers the threads off the top of the bolt and then it fits perfectly. After removing the head and dropping a bolt with the thread VS. a bolt that had the threads sheered off- the sheered bolt drops down that much further. On the AEB head @ FFE they both dropped through equally.

The car is cooling down now after a heat cycle. Preparing for ARP re-torque procedure to 80 ft/lbs. Dash and cluster are already out to be swapped for trouble shooting. Regardless if I figure that out or not I'll probably take it around the block a few times tonight.

There is a small bracket for the hard water pipe to bolt to. I had it between the tensioner and the Acc. bracket, it belonged on the outside of the tensioner. Opps!

I think I need a new wideband sensor for both my gauge and possibly the car as well even though it only has about 3 weeks of use on it. For whatever reason Maestro gets stuck reading lead 4.0 Lambra on my logs most of the time and since my WB gauge sensor isn't working I'm totally blind.